Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy's first literary masterpiece, Far From the Madding Crowd is the story of free-spirited Bathsheba Everdene, whose bold independence attracts the attention of three suitors: the frugal shepherd Gabriel Oak, the lonely farmer William Boldwood, and the dashing young soldier Sergeant Francis Troy. Each man unsettles Bathsheba's life in some way, complicating her ideas of courtship and passion, and threatening to upset her quiet community....

Thomas Hardy's final novel: A passionate and tragic story of the follies of Victorian England's most rigid institutions: class, marriage, and higher education Growing up in southern England, Jude Fawley dreams of one day transcending his country life and becoming a scholar at Christminster's most prestigious college. It's the driving focus of his young life, leading him to rigorous study of classical Greek and Latin after spending long days working...

"The Mayor of Casterbridge," penned by the literary master Thomas Hardy, stands as a compelling and tragic exploration of one man's tumultuous journey through the twists of fate. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the fictional Wessex, the novel unfolds with an air of inevitability, weaving a tale that delves deep into the complexities of human character, societal expectations, and the relentless march of time. At its heart, the narrative...

First published anonymously in 1872, "Under the Greenwood Tree" is Thomas Hardy's story of the romantic entanglement between church musician, Dick Dewey, and the attractive new school mistress, Fancy Day. A pleasant romantic tale set in the Victorian era, "Under the Greenwood Tree" is the first of Hardy's "Wessex" novels and is one of his most gentle and pastoral stories. Dick falls in love with the beautiful and talented Fancy the moment he meets...

The Trumpet-Major is a novel by Thomas Hardy published in 1880, and his only historical novel. It concerns the heroine, Anne Garland, being pursued by three suitors: John Loveday, the eponymous trumpet major in a British regiment, honest and loyal; his brother Bob, a flighty sailor; and Festus Derriman, the cowardly nephew of the local squire. Unusually for a Hardy novel, the ending is not entirely tragic; however, there remains an ominous element...

'A Group of Noble Dames' is a collection of ten short stories, framed by a central narrative. Thomas Hardy ties the tales together by presenting them as a conversation between the members of a club, in which each one tells the story of a noblewoman from the 17th or 18th Century. Through their accounts, Hardy examines a range of themes, including marriage, deceit, and social conventions. A consummate storyteller, the dialogue and characterisations...

Dip a toe into the literary oeuvre of British novelist and poet Thomas Hardy in this well-curated collection of some of his best short stories. Hardy was famed for his ability to create characters who struggle mightily against social mores and circumstances beyond their control, and this strength shines in the finely drawn characters who populate these tales. As part of our mission to publish great works of literary fiction and nonfiction, Sheba Blake...

In the sphere of poets like Swift, Meredith and Kipling, Thomas Hardy is today becoming recognized as one of the greatest English poets of this century. As a young man with interests in journalism, art, and architecture, Hardy achieved greatness in the fiction genre early on, writing novels for a living until his mid-fifties. He then abandoned fiction entirely in order to devote himself to his true passion-poetry. This ample selection of poems demonstrates...

Ironic short stories. "Stockdale, a lonely young fellow, who had for weeks felt a great craving for somebody on whom to throw away superfluous interest, and even tenderness, was not sorry to join her." A collection of six novellas, written in the 1880s and 1890s, about the true nature of nineteenth century marriage and its inherent restrictions.

"Did it never strike your mind that what every woman says, some women may feel?" Tess of the d'Ubervilles is a heartbreaking tale of a woman going to every length to try and do what is right, only to have fate tease her at each turn.